Amos 5:11Forasmuch therefore as you trample on the poor, and take taxes from him of wheat: You have built houses of cut stone, but you will not dwell in them. You have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine.
The setting
Northern Israel, ~760 BC. During unprecedented prosperity under Jeroboam II, the wealthy built luxury homes while exploiting the poor through corrupt taxation and land seizures. Modern-day northern Israel/Palestine.
The emotion here: shepherd-turned-prophet, overwhelmed by God's anger at injustice
The original word
bāsas (בָּסַס) — to trample, crush underfoot like grapes
Why it matters
Archaeological evidence shows elaborate houses with ashlar masonry from this exact period in Samaria
Read with care
What most readers miss in Amos 5:11
The irony: they built with 'cut stone' (expensive) but will never enjoy them
Common misconceptionPeople think this is about being wealthy. It's specifically about wealth gained through oppressing others - the HOW matters more than the WHAT.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Amos 5:11
Bible Genome reading
Amos 5:11 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Amos 5:11 comes from the book of Amos, written during the Divided Kingdom period. These words are attributed to God. The dominant emotion in this verse is angry, with a comfort power of 30% and a tone that is commanding. It belongs to the prophecy genre of biblical literature. Key themes include economic oppression, divine justice, futility of wealth. Notable phrases: trample on the poor; you will not dwell in them. This verse contains prophecy.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same angry
“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'”
— Joel 3:10
“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!”
— Matthew 23:24
“Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husba…”
— Amos 4:1
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies.”
— Amos 5:21
“Your eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
— Deuteronomy 19:21
Your reflection
What does Amos 5:11 mean to you, today?
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